Sick Chicken

[lilylittlerock]

Came home from work yesterday and was shocked to see my buff orphington hen laying dead for no apparent reason! And the austrawhite hen was wasn't looking well, standing still, not caring to go in for the night, I had to encourage her to go in and what is odd her wattles seem to be swollen. She's breathing fine, no watery eyes, this is only their second summer, their not old. When I came home from work tonight she was still alive and acting the same, she's not interested in eating but I did see her drink. She had white on the corners of her beak and when she opened her mouth to drink it was sticky white and it washed away when she drank..she drank very slowly. The rooster and araucana hen in with her are fine and active. I can't figure what's going on!! Any ideas??

 

[animallover505]

Do you have a chicken vet near you? She may have eaten some bad bug or something.

 

[lilylittlerock]

I now think it was something they ate also, it had to be something flat out poisenous to kill the buff hen like that. The austrawhite hen is recovering. I was wondering why the rooster and araucana hen wasn't affected then I realized if there's a goodie to be had the araucana hen gets to the end of the line and the rooster is busy offering the food to the hens.